The U.S. Department of Justice has officially opened a civil rights investigation into the City of Chicago under Mayor Brandon Johnson, raising serious questions about whether his administration is violating federal anti-discrimination laws by prioritizing race in hiring practices.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division informed Johnson in a letter this week that it is investigating potential violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination in employment. The probe stems from comments Johnson made during a recent appearance at a Chicago church, where he seemed to openly boast about race-based staffing decisions.
“Business and economic neighborhood development, the deputy mayor is a Black woman… Infrastructure, deputy mayor is a Black woman… Budget director is a Black woman… Senior advisor is a Black man,” Johnson proudly listed. He capped it off by saying these positions were filled to ensure “our people get a chance to grow their businesses.”
Critics immediately slammed the remarks as not only tone-deaf but a potential legal admission that his administration is deliberately favoring certain races over others — a blatant violation of federal law. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon didn’t take the comments lightly, stating in the DOJ’s letter that such remarks raised “significant concerns.”
“If these kinds of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration,” Dhillon wrote, “then it begs the question whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions.”
The investigation will determine whether the Johnson administration has engaged in a “pattern or practice” of racial discrimination — a serious federal charge. The DOJ is working in coordination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which may launch its own enforcement actions based on the findings.
Johnson, a former union organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union and a darling of the progressive left, has been under mounting pressure since taking office in 2023. His administration has faced intense backlash over rising crime, worsening homelessness, and the controversial decision to scrap ShotSpotter — a crime-tracking tool — in a city plagued by violence.
Now, with his approval numbers falling and whispers of a political comeback by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Johnson faces a reckoning. If federal investigators confirm what many already suspect — that Chicago’s city hall is discriminating based on race — it could be the final blow to a mayor whose progressive experiment is unraveling fast.